Facing the entrance of the cave that took them hours to find through the thick forest. They observe the entrance, a crumbling box-type column slowly wrapped by roots.
"These footprints, I can say they might be half a dozen that came out last night," Akatosh said inspecting the ground.
Thinking for a moment, Erika just walks towards the cave confident as she is, considering her guild crest is a gold class. But before they venture Akatosh first grooms his items. Prioritizing the short sword as his weapon. Minutes pass, he finally set himself, prepared and ready for an adventure.
Behind Erika's back, Akatosh struggle in search of a torch. When Erika (Ashalain) suddenly casts a spell, a white orb appears banishing the darkness of the cave. Like Sheena's magic that he once saw in the garden.
"Just where did you learn some magic." He asks as they slowly walk deeper into the cave.
In her response. "Tell me something… Why do you keep barging strange questions regarding this world? Just what country did you come from."
"Well, I was technically newborn here." He said when suddenly they heed a rustle towards their direction.
Drawing his short sword, preparing for a fight Erika calmly readies her magical sword. Five kobolds and seven goblins show themselves in the dark. "Azarus, the God of power heed my prayer, for I shall banish the darkness that confronts thee that may they be in your wrath." Saying a prayer, Erika glides her hand at the border edge of the sword, engulfing the blade in fire.
Charging towards their direction, with a single swing of her sword, the fire quickly devours the front charger. Being left as no more than ash, the two goblins engulf in fear by what they saw. Raising the sword once more in cold blood, down she slashes erupting a line of fire emerges from the ground towards the two creatures, roasting them to ashes.
Witnessing her fight, Akatosh jaws drop, all he could do is silence from what he saw. When suddenly, three goblins sprung from the darkness, but Erika's (Ashalain) orb caught their ambush. Shielding one of the attackers using the buckler. He ravenously gyrates his sword three times, cleaving the body like it was just a jelly, rupturing its bones and innards.
After dispatching one out of three, the other one charge in eagerness. Perceiving the last one carries a bow; he uses the creature to screen the incoming projectiles. Swaying sideways, Akatosh leaps through the charger, marking the one with the bow. Once he locks his target and bucklering the incoming arrows, Akatosh hurls the sword-like spear decimating the goblin.
As for the last one, by just grappling he easily disarms the creature's weapon. As soon as he takes control of the situation, Akatosh rips his throat as if it was just a chicken. It took him seconds to dispose of the three, while Erika only uses little effort in slaying the twelve creatures.
He wanted to search the dead body but with a high-rank adventurer looking at him, searching like a squatter he decides not to.
"Not today fortune looting." Akatosh thoughts.
Checking the map, they follow the direction leading to the temple, but Erika had better ideas, she wanted to clean this cave free of goblins and kobolds.
Marking the way to the temple, they venture to the other way since the cave branches itself into two. The left leads to the temple while the other leads to an unknown path. Following the other tunnel, both came across a different-looking structure, which is different from the entrance cave. It was a metallic twelve-inch large door.
"Dwarves." Erika says.
"I think this might be their den." He asks looking at the bones. Skulls of animals and other creatures decorated, warped by rag clothing.
Chanting another magic her body engulfs in shining white light. So, he too searches for a bottle of oil lap, and again a bottle of potion that he bought at the market. Gulping the 'potion of endurance' which helps him fight longer without being consumed by fatigue. He can feel a heat surging through his body, a feeling to run five miles none stop. Returning the short sword, he quickly draws the 'bastard sword' which's longer than the short sword. True, he assumed the place might be larger in area.
Done with her magic Erika then steps right in front of Akatosh. Stepping back a little knowing how he was overcome by her power. Without thinking, Erika grabs both of his hands, injecting some of her blessings.
Closing her eyes, Akatosh's sword burst into flames. Covering the sword with the flames of Azarus or so they called. But it wasn't just the flame, the weight of the sword became even lighter to hold. Overcome by her magic, impelling Akatosh about quantities of magical knowledge.
When they open the door, dozens of goblins and kobolds confront them. "Oh…" Akatosh says, stunned by what he's facing, a horde of enemies. But that doesn't stop Erika from charging towards the enemy.
"To hell with it." He continues, diving his flaming sword slashing every enemy that came across.
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With the potion that maintains his composure, he was able to slash upwards one of the goblins, following his combo he then hammers down the sword, helm breaking the goblin's skull. Somehow, he felt quite entice, as he stylishly destroys every foe.
Fighting them head-on, Akatosh notices Erika (Ashalain) chanting another prayer. "May the wrath of your flames spreads through the darkness, I call thy power to purify this tainted place."
By her last word, she nails the sword from the ground. Conjuring a fire emerging from the soil spreading like a tsunami as it devours the hordes of the enemy. Towards Akatosh's direction, fear struck him as the flames came close. Not knowing what to do he plunged the flaming sword on the ground as he hopes for the best.
Relief the flames had avoided him, creating a ring of fire. After witnessing her power, he became silent, he became more afraid of her. That's when he knew why Erika gave some of her divine blessings.
Walking deeper into the cave and while traversing, the structure changes little by little. The walls gradually became more and more cemented but stone carved. There they can see a dwarven sculpture holding a hammer and an axe. And it doesn't take long for them to reach one large hallway in just half an hour.
The only problem he was thinking was the potion. "I should make this quick as possible, the storekeeper said that it had some side effects. After reaching the time limit that is mostly about two hours or one and a half hours the person will become tired and pain will surge his or her body. But what if I gulp another one." He said still tailing Erika.
The place gradually scales, where more space to move around or large houses can be built but. "What the heck I want to get out of this gloomy place," Akatosh notes, side by side as they walk along the large dwarven cavern. Until they came across a large erosion consisting of heavy rocks and metals. But what's interests him most is the large path that leads to the blockage.
Thinking of another hypothesis. "Whatever is in there, I think it might hold some treasure or big monster or something. Or is this path lead to another dwarven kingdom?"
Turning around to explore more of this place, again they discover another place, a box-type house consisting of only one storage building. Searching as two teams not knowing what holds this place, all they find was a pile of rotten woods, rusted plates, and many trinkets. Akatosh wanted to search for more treasure but the place is dark and dangerous to explore not good for only two-party members.
Time, Akatosh found a book near a skeleton. What's interests him most was, the book didn't rot away it just being constantly maintained by magic. Hiding from Erika he quickly stuffs the book.
While Erika was also looking for what holds this place, Akatosh felt something dark like a shadow that just passed. It wasn't a shadow; he can feel the place slowly turns into winter. Telling Erika about what he felt, she quickly grabs his hand, and hastily they run off from the place.
"What is going on!" Akatosh says.
Returning from where the cave branches into two. "Just what is that thing that I've felt," Akatosh asks.
"That was a lich, though what you felt was just its aura. And it seems that a powerful wizard or mage died there."
"And what's the connection."
"It seems that some dark force lingering in this place somehow corrupting the souls of the person and I intend to purify it. If only Farenggar is in my hand I would finish this off quickly."
Without saying a word, they went towards the path to the temple. After an hour of walking none stop, Akatosh started to worry about the effect of the potion. Battling kobolds and goblins they heard noises at the far end of the cave.
At the corner of the cave, bright orange lights the room. Telling Erika to turn off her lights, they saw dozens of goblins, some are sleeping, some are scouting the chamber. There they saw a large kobold, measuring up to three meters in height and a masculine body. The other was a goblin shaman, and for a moment he asks Erika for a plan. She ignores him and went to face the horde charging towards the enemy drawing the power of Azarus engulfing the place in fire.
"This child!" Akatosh sigh, following to support her but as the fire engulfs the place, he gets the feeling that something is wrong.
Previously slaying the horde, Akatosh noticed there were no carcasses that of a large kobold or the shaman. That's when he saw the fire at the back of Erika, acting in strange as if someone is walking towards her. Concluding it was the large kobold, he dashes blocking the kobold's attack. Its club easily knockback him suffering a minor injury thanks to his shield and armor that absorbs the impact.
In a pinch, the shaman consecutively casts strange magic. And with the monsters' combo, it was impotent for Erika (Ashalain) to form a counterattack. Adding the large kobolds rampantly clubbing at her. Even the flames and her sword won't even slow or killed the kobold as if it were protected. Then out of nowhere, a dark shadow flung towards Erika disrupting her movement.
When her footwork was interrupted the large kobold take initiative, full force the monster swings his club tossing Ashalain.
Taking two endurance potions, he first charges towards the unaware shaman. Striking the opportunity, he consecutively flings three bottles of oil, drenching the shaman and disrupting its spell.
Ready to cast another magic, Akatosh quickly throws the swords which again rive his casting. Breaking another bottle of oil using his hand, he ignites it with fire. And when he's in point black range, Akatosh stuffs his burning hand quickly blazing the shaman. Without wasting time, Akatosh pick up the sword he hurled and beheading the shaman in just a second.
Afterward, when he killed the shaman, the large kobold locks its eyes towards Akatosh leaving Erika (Ashalain).
One on one, Akatosh too charge knowing full well the beast will swing sideways. Buffed by the potion Akatosh was able to jump high enough to dodge his club. Able to reach the head of the kobolds, that's when he felt a very dark-cold sensation emitting from the creature. With little strength, he stabs one of its eyes, press nailing the sword to his brain. But the kobold's hand suddenly grabs Akatosh. Breaking some of his bones and squishing his intestines the beast then throws him to the ground.
Still in effect thanks to the potion, Akatosh grab one of the spears from the dead goblin. Successfully leaping again, he uses his last strength, gutting the spear to his throat, anticipating the kobold's hand he tumbles down to avoid another pain.
Down as they fall making the spear being pressed by the weight of the kobold and the ground nailing it more as it punctures at the back of his neck. Nearly a meter close to the beast Akatosh was dead-surprised when the kobold rises.
"Does this beast have no end!?" Akatosh said.
As all hopes are lost, a magical root entangles the beast, and out of a sudden Erika (Ashalain) emerges.
"Now!" She shouts decapitating the kobolds.
He can hear two people yelling, as his eyes slowly close from the great injuries that he'd taken. After beheading the large kobold Erika (Ashalain) came running towards Akatosh.